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UNC-CHAPEL HILL TO GET FIRST WOMAN CHANCELLOR: As first reported by The News & Observer, UNC system officials will name Carol Folt, the interim president of Dartmouth College, as the next chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Folt, 61, would be the first woman to lead the campus in Chapel Hill, where the 29,000-member student body is 58 percent female. She will succeed Holden Thorp, who is stepping down by July 1 to become provost at Washington University in St. Louis. Full story.

McHENRY WON'T CHALLENGE HAGAN: N.C. Congressman Patrick McHenry took his name out of the crowded field of potential challengers to Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, who faces re-election in 2014. Polls put McHenry in the top half of Republicans. "I'm grateful for the good numbers, but I think I've got a better opportunity to make a difference here in the House," McHenry told the Mountain Xpress in Asheville. "I want to end the distraction about this potential Senate run so I can get back and focus on the work that I need to be doing to help get this economy going."

***Good morning. Thanks for reading the Friday edition of the Dome Morning Memo. Much more N.C political news and analysis below.***

A whopping 91 percent of Ellmers' votes made the ACU happy, but she still fell short of its Defender of Liberty title which requires every vote on certain bills picked by ACU to match the organization's desires. ACU looks at votes on bills that "serve as a clear litmus test separating those representatives who defend liberty and liberal members who have turned their backs on our founding principles."

The ACU argues for limited government, individual liberty, free markets, a strong national defense and traditional values.

Other N.C. representatives who scored above 80 percent included Howard Coble of Greensboro, Virginia Foxx of Banner Elk, Patrick McHenry of Cherryville and Sue Myrick of Charlotte, who is now retired.

The ACU award comes the day after the Club for Growth — which supports limited growth and low taxes — tagged Ellmers as a RINO (Republican In Name Only) and put her on a a list of Republicans that scored below 70 percent on the club's scorecard.

Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry leads potential Republican challengers to Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, according to a new poll.

Berry leads a potential field of Republicans with 18 percent, followed by Congresswoman Virginia Foxx with 16 percent among GOP voters, according to a survey by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm based in Raleigh.

Rounding out the Republican field, U.S. Reps. Renee Ellmers and Patrick McHenry have 10 percent, state Senate leader Phil Berger has 7 percent, with 5 percent going to Greg Brannon, 3 percent for US. Rep. George Holding and and House Speaker Thom Tillis and 1 percent for Terry Embler.

Hagan leads all possible nine Republican opponents by margins of five to 15 points.

North Carolina voters are divided about Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, but she leads any of prospective Republican opponents, according to a new poll.

Only 34 percent of voters approve of the job that Hagan is doing, while 36 percent disapprove, and 31 percent have no opinion, according to a survey by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic leaning firm based in Raleigh.

But Hagan leads all potential opponents. She leads GOP Congresswoman Renee Ellmers by a 46-40 percent margin, Congressman Patrick McHenry by a 45-39 percent margin, and Congresswoman Virginia Foxx by a 47-40 percent margin.

She also leads Congressman George Holding by a 45-37 percent margin, Congressman Robert Pittenger by a 46-38 percent margin, state Senate leader Phil Berger by a 47-38 percent margin, and state House Speaker Thom Tillis by a 47-37 percent margin.

While conservative groups are starting to drop money in an effort to push Sen. Kay Hagan out of office in 2014, the liberal-leaning Public Policy Polling on Tuesday released a poll that gives an early look at who the GOP is most likely to line up against the first-term Democrat.

Rep. Virginia Foxx tops Republicans' wish list at 17 percent. 14 percent prefer Sue Myrick, 13 percent want Patrick McHenry and 11 percent Renee Ellmers.

North Carolina Republicans on Thursday sought to keep alive Vice President Joe Biden's remark that the middle class was being “buried.”

In a teleconference, state House Speaker Thom Tillis said, “I don't think it was a gaffe. I think it was a stunning moment of clarity.''

Raleigh businessman Bob Luddy will chair North Carolina Catholics for Romney, the campaign has announced. Luddy, a businessman and civic leader, has founded several private schools including St. Thomas More Academy in Raleigh.

“Religious freedom is a principle this great country was founded on and it is at the heart and soul of America,” Luddy said in a statement. “I am confident Governor Romney will fully protect our traditional and natural right of religious liberty.”

The honorary state chairs are Congress members Renee Ellmers, Virginia Foxx and Patrick McHenry. Other members of the Catholics leadership team include House Speaker Thom Tillis, state Sen. Kathy Harrington, Rep. Ric Killian, and Rep. Pat McElraft.

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-NC, has come to the defense of Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney after Democrats rolled out a new ad depicting the former Massachusetts governor’s campaign as "the story of two men trapped in one body."

McHenry was among more than a dozen Republicans who held press calls with reporters. McHenry, who endorsed Romney last month, said Obama feels threatened by Romney, calling it unprecedented for him to attack a candidate before a single ballot is cast.

 "On jobs and spending, this Administration has not met its promises," McHenry said. "And so instead of trying to create jobs and help the middle class, the Obama campaign has resorted to trying to tear down Mitt Romney."

The 30-second ad is a trailer for a longer video on the Democratic National Committee’s new website, MittvMitt.com. It criticizes Romney for appearing to have reversed his positions on a number of key issues such as abortion and health care reform.

"Mitt Romney, unparalleled flip-flopper, has proved he is his own toughest opponent on the issues," the website states.

McHenry has long been a pro-life proponent, but he said he was happy with Romney’s current stance against abortion.

"Mitt Romney has stated clearly his position has evolved," McHenry said.

As the bipartisan supercommittee declared its impasse, the blame game in Washington began. 

The National Republican Congressional Committee blamed Democrats for the failure and press releases that smeared any congressman with a "D" behind their name, including U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a moderate North Carolina lawmaker.

N.C. Congressman Patrick McHenry, a Republican, similiarly pointed the finger at the Democratic White House. "The lack of leadership from the president to push for a reasonable agreement is very disappointing," he said in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-NC, took the high road, blaming both parties for not working together.  "We should be ashamed. This was a critical moment for our country’s future -- instead it has become a huge lost opportunity," she said in a statement.

In today's Charlotte Observer, Jim Morrill takes a look at two N.C. congressmen and their different approaches to the deficit impasse:

"When hope still ran strong for a colossal deficit deal, two N.C. congressmen from neighboring districts emerged as leaders of efforts that squeezed negotiators - from opposite sides.

Democratic Rep. Heath Shuler of Haywood County helped pull together a bipartisan group of 102 House members asking the supercommittee to keep all options on the table, including new revenue.

And Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of Cherryville led 72 House Republicans in urging the panel not to raise taxes.

The issue thrust North Carolina's youngest House members into the spotlight, though they've approached it different ways."

Read the full story here.